Page "William Blackstone" Paragraph 24

In 1765 Blackstone announced his resignation from the Vinerian Chair, effective after his 1766 lectures.

These were divided into two 14-lecture series, on " private wrongs " and " public wrongs " delivered between 12 February and 24 April.

At this point Blackstone had published nothing new since A Treatise on the Law of Descents in Fee Simple in 1759.

The decision to resign was most likely due to the increasing demands of his legal practice and the reduced profit from the lectures, which, after peaking at £ 340 in 1762, dropped to £ 239 a year later and to £ 203 for the final round of lectures in 1765-6.

In response, Blackstone decided to publish a new book-Commentaries on the Laws of England.

The first volume was published in February 1766, bringing the author £ 1, 600-the full work would eventually bring in over £ 14, 000.

Owen Ruffhead described Volume I as " masterly ", noting that " Mr Blackstone is perhaps the first who has treated the body of the law in a liberal, elegant and constitutional manner.

A vein of good sense and moderation runs through every page ".

Every copy was sold within six months, and the second and third volumes, published in October 1766 and June 1768, received a similar reception.

The fourth and final volume appeared in 1770, dealing with Criminal Law.

With the financial success of the Commentaries, Blackstone moved in 1768 from his London property in Carey Fields to No. 55 Lincoln's Inn Fields.

Neighbours included the Sardinian ambassador, Sir Walter Rawlinson, Lord Northington, John Morton and the Third Earl of Abingdon, making it an appropriate house for a " great and able Lawyer ".